Hope Against the End of the World
by Marie Celle Bonnie
Summary: "Moriah" Episode-Tag (AU): The brothers just faced the next big apocalypse, as well as the death of a friend. How do you even begin to process that?


"I can't believe you shot him." Dean murmured while bandaging his brother's shoulder.

Sam sat quiet on his bed, looking at a corner in the ceiling. They didn't speak for the next couple minutes while Dean finished tending to Sam's bullet wound. The bunker was filled with eerie silence as both brothers processed what had just happened. Castiel had teleported them away after they realised the monsters they kept killing were being instantly revived, attacking them and circling them from all sides. However, team free will wasn't about to catch a break. Cas left them at the bunker, probably one of the few places that wasn't already swarming with monsters, to patch each other up and went back to collect Jack's body. They had already called Jody and a few other hunters to warn them about the next impending apocalypse they were going to have to deal with… and check if they were still alive. Thankfully, most of them had answered their phones. As for the rest… the Winchesters just couldn't afford to think about that right now.

Sam cleared his throat and finally faced his brother as he was slowly re-packing their first aid kit.

"I'm glad you didn't." he mimicked his brother's earlier quiet tone.

Dean looked at his little brother, his eyes softened. He tried to crack a half-hearted smirk, only managing a pained grimace. He sighed and picked up the once again full first aid kit lying on the floor.

"I'll bring you some water, you sound worse than a chimney man." he answered sounding assured, his calm, confident mask back on.

Sam waited for his brother to walk out the door and then picked up his phone for what must have been the hundredth time in the last hour. There weren't any new messages waiting for him. He tiredly rubbed his eyes. His blood-stained shirt was laying on the edge of the bed but Sam couldn't bring himself to search for a clean one. He was so numb that he didn't feel the room's chill anyways. After what may have been hours or mere minutes he noticed Dean entering his room with a glass of water at hand.

"Here," the older Winchester nudged him and handed him a couple of pills. "We're running low on the good stuff but these should help to take the edge off."

Sam obediently swallowed them, something which was worrying in itself Dean thought, and then downed the water.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it." Dean sat on the bed next to his brother. They both just stared at the wall for a bit.

"I can't believe God would do that…" Sam chewed on his lower lip.

"Yeah…"

The silence seemingly deepened. Suddenly Dean couldn't take it anymore.

"What were you thinking Sam?" he exhaled. "I mean we've done some stupid shit before but shooting Chuck with that gun… you're lucky you're not dead!" Dean's voice rose to an angry growl.

At first Sam was startled by Dean's sudden outburst, but as it went on he got progressively angrier.

"Dean…" he started with a frustrated sigh.

"What?" Dean cut him off yelling. "Are you okay with being dead now, is that it?!"

"That's rich coming from you! You were the one about to fire that gun just a couple of hours ago!" Sam yelled.

"Yeah but _I_ didn't!" Dean matched his tone.

Sam suddenly felt exhausted, the stress of the previous day finally catching up to him as his shoulders slumped and his anger faded away.

"I know, I'm sorry… I'm glad you didn't." Sam said in a once again level voice.

Dean stared at his brother for a second before his eyes softened. His posture relaxed just a sliver, which Sam figured probably wouldn't be noticeable to most other people. But Sam wasn't most other people. He knew his brother was still on guard after the events of the previous day, but he was glad that he at least seemed less tense now.

"I was just so done with everything man…" Dean whispered. "The way I saw it we were out of options. I was ready to die, but when it was time to shoot Jack I just… I just couldn't."

"What changed your mind?" the younger Winchester whispered back.

Dean looked right at him, his guard momentarily lowered. His eyes conveyed everything he couldn't with words and Sam understood. Sure, part of the reason he didn't go through with his plan was that he didn't really want to end his life, and he definitely didn't want to kill Jack (and he couldn't handle thinking about him just lying there _dead_ anytime soon) who he came to think of as family, as his son, even after all the pain and betrayal caused by Mary's death. However, the biggest reason he changed his mind was sitting right next to him, shivering from a combination of the bunker's chill, shock and blood loss. And they both knew it.

"Well, I still haven't had the chance to go to that new pizza place with the hot brunette cashier," Dean shrugged.

Sam stared at him for a second and then let out a startled chuckle, shaking his head at the classic Dean response. Dean smirked, feeling a weight being lifted from his shoulders at his little brother's laughter.

"I guess my pain in the ass little brother coming after me and not letting me make a grave mistake may have something to do with it." he said more seriously. "You were right. We've both lost enough and… it was stupid. I'm just… I'm sorry Sammy."

He then turned to look at Sam solemnly in the eyes, making sure that his brother was looking right back at him before continuing.

"But don't think for a second that I would be okay with _you_ dying instead. Even if it had killed Chuck and averted this whole mess… Sam I still couldn't live with you dead." he took a shaky breath as his composure threatened to collapse. "Promise me. Promise me that no matter what you won't sacrifice yourself like that ever again."

Sam was giving him those familiar softened puppy dog eyes that always awakened his fiercely protective instincts and made him wish he could shield the younger hunter from all the threats the world just kept throwing at them.

"I know…" Sam run a hand through his hair. "I can't promise that if I ever have another chance to stop Chuck I won't take it…But I promise I'm not going to sacrifice myself except as a last resort. I don't wanna die either Dean, I promise."

"That's the best I'm gonna get, isn't it?" Dean shook his head with a faint smile.

"Yes, and it goes both ways Dean, don't forget that." Sam waited for his brother to nod, looking relieved when he did.

"You and me against the world, right bitch?"

Sam took in his brother's soft smile and eyes that portrayed so many emotions at the same time, pride, sorrow, trust, protectiveness and most of all love.

"You and me against the world jerk." Sam answered content.

He realized he felt surprisingly okay amidst the apocalyptic chaos. They didn't know what new horror awaited them the next morning. What they did know is that they would face it when the time came. Together.

* * *

Note: I'm still new to this so I hope I did the characters justice or that at least you got some enjoyment out of it! Comments and constructive criticism are more than welcome.:)


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